If It’s Regulated, Mobile Technology Can Improve Healthcare

May 23, 2020 / admin / 0 Comments

Evidence from non and middle-income states suggests that mobile and digital communication technology can enhance control of ailments. It’s also especially helpful in medical crises. It has the capability to gain access to health care in which funds are rare and methods are under stress.

We ran a research to research whether mConsulting has the capability to enhance health care in Nigeria, in which the usage of cellular communication technologies has expanded quickly. We looked at what is currently available and the way that users and suppliers perceive this manner of healthcare . The analysis explored perceptions, operations and availability of mConsulting providers in Nigeria.

We discovered that mConsulting is very likely to boost availability of health care. Nevertheless, it was introduced to Nigeria without a regulatory and policy framework to guarantee quality.

Mobile Health Consulting Nigeria

The idea of mConsulting remains relatively fresh. But different kinds of health care delivery via digital platforms have been slowly introduced to the Nigerian arena with tags like eHealth, ehealth4everyone, electronic health, telemedicine along with many others.

In Nigeria, you can find 15 operational mConsulting providers managed by groups of physicians. There are various methods for employing the services. These include internet chats, text messages, specialised appsand video calls and sound calls. The services include medication prescriptions, patient referrals, patient followup and supply of information regarding hospitals.

Just some of those mConsulting providers in Nigeria don’t charge commissions.

Respondents in our analysis perceived mConsulting to have quite a few advantages. Access to health care was one. This isn’t merely about getting medical aid anytime: it is also about the access to quality and expert providers and bringing emergency attention within reach.

Some analysts stated that health centers and facilities were overstretched. They considered that mConsulting could lower the load on health employees and boost the revenue pipeline of doctors. This may strengthen the medical system.

It might also decrease the costs of utilizing medical services, for example transportation to centers and waiting period.

They said it may lead to improved health outcomes, together with better identification and management of ailments. It might also decrease exposure of individuals to risks connected with hospital visits, like infections.

Perceived Risks And Obstacles

Regardless of the advantages of mConsulting, participants said some obstacles also.

Some voiced doubt concerning this strategy to health consultations. They considered that physical interaction between doctors and patients has been the most plausible and reliable method of assessing a individual’s health.

Deficiency of technology infrastructure and also the digital divide, particularly in rural areas, has been another barrier. Where the centers for mConsulting weren’t accessible and cheap, only a restricted sector of the populace could have access.

The human resources capability for mConsulting was yet another concern. Many service providers rely on physicians who divide their time between routine and cellular consultations. Together with the deficit of physicians from the health program, dividing the timing of their hospital work using mConsulting engagement puts additional stress on existing human sources. Some service providers also opened their own platforms to both the local and global customers, which makes it hard to provide the demand.

Important information may be overlooked and mistakes could be created. Also, customers could mislead mobile advisers by not minding all of the appropriate info. Even if utilizing mConsulting in emergency maintenance or to first aid, there might be a threat of getting the incorrect advice.

Data privacy and security is a significant issue in Nigeria. Some participants thought that online platforms and materials were vulnerable to misuse.

There have been ideas in the National Council of Health that states must introduce eHealth in their health care delivery frame. However, after over a decade of deliberations relating to this, policies are not yet been formulated especially to govern this business of health care.

The involvement of the private industry has made it an imperative to possess straightforward policies to guard the people as customers of cellular consulting services. The entrepreneurs that invest in those services also require security.

In the meantime, short-term training programs could be organised for people in the work force. The agencies which govern various cadres of health professionals must have clauses in their own codes of ethics about mConsulting and eHealth generally.

A successful policy environment is essential to ensuring mConsulting expands equivalent access to health care. A vision for mConsulting and eHealth has to be incorporated with the frame of this Abuja Accord to induce the accomplishment of health care for all.